Fast-Draw
Fast-Draw
Defaults: None.
This skill lets you quickly draw a weapon from its holster, sheath, or hiding place. A successful roll means you ready the weapon instantly. This does not count as a combat maneuver; you can use the weapon to attack on the same turn. On a failure, you ready your weapon normally but may do nothing else on your turn. A critical failure means you drop the weapon!
You must specialize in one of these weapon types: Force Sword, Knife, Long Arm (rifle, shotgun, submachine gun, etc.), Pistol, Sword (any one-handed blade larger than a knife), or Two-Handed Sword. The GM may add Fast-Draw skills for other weapons (or even tools) that one could reasonably draw quickly.
In addition to the above specialties, there are two Fast-Draw skills that allow you to reload missile weapons quickly:
Fast-Draw (Arrow): Lets you ready a single arrow, bolt, or dart instantly. This reduces the time required to reload a bow, crossbow, or blowgun by one second.
Fast-Draw/TL (Ammo): Reduces the time required to reload any kind of gun or beam weapon. The exact benefits depend on your weapon, but a successful roll always shaves at least one second off the reload time. This skill varies greatly with TL! At TL4, it covers powder-and-shot drills; at TL6+, it includes speed-loading techniques for detachable magazines; and at higher tech levels, it involves quickly replacing energy cells and attaching power cables.<
For the Arrow and Ammo specialties, failure means you drop the arrow or bolt, or accidentally discard one round of ammunition. On a critical failure, you drop the entire quiver, powder horn, ammo box, magazine, etc., scattering loose ammunition everywhere!
Modifiers: Combat Reflexes gives +1 to all Fast-Draw specialties; Ham-Fisted gives -3 per level.
Martial Arts
In combat-heavy campaigns – like Martial Arts games – it's crucial to know exactly what weapons each Fast-Draw specialty covers. This list isn't exhaustive, but it's a start:
Force Sword: Any ultra-tech weapon that retracts into its hilt and requires the user to toggle a power switch to ready it. Includes all Force Sword, Force Whip, and Monowire Whip weapons.
Knife: All Knife and [[Main-Gauche weapons, and any weapon hurled using Thrown Weapon (Dart) or Thrown Weapon (Knife).
Sword: Weapons that call for Broadsword, Jitte/Sai, Rapier, Saber, Shortsword, or Smallsword skill – including sticks covered by those skills. The GM may extend this to such sticks as boomerangs and spear throwers, which use Thrown Weapon (Stick) and Spear Thrower, respectively.
Two-Handed Sword: All Two-Handed Sword weapons, plus any 1- or 2-yard Spear or Polearm weapon carried tip-down in a back sheath, like a naginata.
The GM may allow these new specialties for exotic weapons:
Balisong: Used to open or close a balisong that's already in hand. Roll against skill to do either. Critical failure causes a point of cutting damage to the hand; critical success gives +1 to Intimidation. Use Fast-Draw (Knife) to draw a balisong. If you use Fast-Draw (Balisong) on the same turn, it's at -2; see Multiple Fast-Draw.
Flexible: Any chain, rope, or thong used as a weapon, including all Kusari and Whip weapons, and slings (use Sling skill). In cinematic campaigns, add nunchaku (use Flail skill) to the list.
Shuriken: Any weapon hurled using Thrown Weapon (Shuriken).
Stone: Sling ammo and throwing stones, when carried in a container. Works like Fast-Draw (Arrow).
Tonfa: Any baton with a protruding side handle, for use with Tonfa skill.
For special Fast-Draw rules, see Multiple Fast-Draw, Fast-Draw from Odd Positions, Who Draws First?, and Quick-Readying Nearby Weapons.